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While I walk trough these streets, I look to the trees and the sky, the cars, the faces in the distance, all of them unaware of my thoughts. “God, we are a nation of fools” I think. Nation of fools, what a good name for a song. Didn’t exist already? Would be a depressing one if it existed, I’m pretty sure, the type of song that makes me want to cut my wrists weeping in agony while I swallow a bunch of pills.

I’m still young though, so I must care for myself. The time awaits for no one, depression can’t be so serious, right? In my country there’s no time for depressed, needy people. There’s just time for the fools.

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Oh, the internet, what we would do without it? Maybe harvest potatoes like our grandfathers did many years ago, but instead, we are here, in front of our flat high definition screens, looking to the future with our own eyes. Truly an amazing time to be alive.

Or maybe… we look to the past? Our generation is obsessed with all things vintage. It’s the wish for (what we think) were the better, simpler and most romantic times. You see it everywhere, especially when it comes to music. Just get yourself a look into the youtube comment section of an old song, and like 90% of the comments are from twelve-year-old kiddos saying that they were born in the wrong generation. Sure pal, whatever you say (boy, we all were stupid as kids, don’t we?)

So, how this jibber jabber has anything to do with my drawing style? Oh well, the nostalgia is a powerful force, and sometimes can led us to discover wonderful things, especially when you are not searching for them.

I remember being looking at my Facebook’s timeline and discovering something that really kept my attention. One of my friends had been sharing, almost everyday, images of an estrange but engaging atmosphere. These Images would use often greco-roman sculptures, neon colors, japanese lettering and old Windows graphics. Of course, these images are part of the Vaporwave ‘aesthetics’.

Vaporwave is a microgenre of electronic music and an Internet meme that emerged in the early 2010s. The music typically features a fascination with 1980s and 1990s styles such as elevator music, smooth jazz, R&B, and lounge music often sampling or manipulating tracks via chopped and screwed techniques and other effects.

Being the silly goof I’m, I thought it was kinda funny. Vaporwave is essentially a parody of capitalism that mocks capitalism… by exalting it. It thought it was great! You know, we all love capitalism but at the same time, it has gave us some weird shit through the decades. More or less at the same time, I was trying to design myself a mascot. A character that people could associate with me. The challenge you face designing a mascot is that must be simple enough to be remembered, but not so simple that could be forgot.

I came out with this, but it was weird to me. I wasn’t used to draw minimalistic pieces, I would rather draw more realistic ones, with intricate details.

I started to develope my cartoony, more simple style, inspirated by the pop simplicity of the vaporwave/future funk genre. All of a sudden, I was obsessed with neon colors and 80s aesthetics, things considered ugly, kitsch.

Kitsch, also called cheesiness or tackiness, is art or other objects that appeal to popular or uncultivated taste because they are garish or overly sentimental, which means that these objects are considered by other people to be ugly, without style, false, or in poor taste but enjoyed or appreciated by still other people in an ironic or knowing way or because it is funny.

You know, Vaporwave it’s the mix of dated music and modern DJs tecnology, I started to see this cutesy style as a mix between kawaii and kitsch, vulgar, lewd art. Very, very pop!

I’m really thoughtful about my creative process: I think about the things that inspires me, I try to find patterns, conducts, habits… anything that can make a better artist. Being concious about our processes (creatives or not) it’s a great excercise. I has discovered that.

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It’s sunny and warm, the music is great, the women beautiful, food is spicy… What it is this marvelous place? A tropical place, somewhere… Paradise? To some, to others is just a place to stay while dreams come true.

But you know, the real charm it’s the people. Yep, the people.

Click on that girl!

Crazy but adorable people like that gal.

Sorry for the clickbait Real talk guys, I’m just happy to start this little self indulgent piece of silliness. This is not an ambitious projectin any way, it’s more to have fun and laugh at my own idiotic nature mistakes and stupid thoughts. Oh boi.

I know, I know, dear. I’ve been here and there, bad feelings after bad feelings, disaster after disaster, struggling with the same issues as many other people in the world. Shit is crazy. Shit is bananas. Whatever. Even now that I’m writing these lines, I’m struggling to find the correct words to express myself and not to think in the future and its many possibilities for me, not all of them good. It’s scary to think too much about it.

Why I’m saying this nonsense? Oh, I’ve just been really thoughtful lately. Maybe my health is not so good as I thought. Put many things in perspective. College, for instance, is really awful to me. When I’m in that classroom with all the other young kiddos who are trying to become a professional journalist, I feel tired, and sad. I don’t belong there, I think. Am I learning or just wasting my time? What Am I learning? How me, a B+ student, became the most apathic being of the classroom? Am I being selfish if I only want to draw…? What to do? Well, you get the point.

Sometimes you just have to breath in, follow your heart, BUT without leaving your mind behind. Other people’s expectations are chains, you must get rid off them. Care about yourself, exersise yourself, eat well and make your dream a reality. I know life is crazy, hard, nonsesical, but we still can try. Every day a little harder, everyday a little smarter.

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The other day talking with a fellow artist, he mentioned he wanted to begin drawing pin-ups, but just couldn’t get it right. One of his try, although promising, just doesn’t looked fully like a pin-up.

Making a pin-up illustration isn’t difficult, but does require the acknowlege of certain “rules” to fully explode your potential as a creador of sexy imagery (because that is pin-ups are, right?)

I’m not an expert, but here is what I have learned so far:

The character is everything

You can have a pin-up with only the character and no background whatsoever, but not on the contrary. The character is everything, and it must produce feelings on the viewer, (yeah, that kind of feelings, you pervert) the characters in pin-ups illustrations must have life, be interesting to the eye!

You must reveal part of her or his attitude in the attire and pose, in her or his expression.

“Why are you looking at me like that?!”

A dull character makes for a forgetable, boring pin-up, or at least, that is how I see it.

Also, if there is a background, the character must ALWAYS stand out from it.

Anatomy, anatomy, anatomy

Just as important. I don’t want to hear any excuses about styles, (of course you have to learn about anatomy silly!) even cartoony pin-ups girls have a sense of proportion and harmony.

Jonh K is the king of wacky yet sexy things

Seriously, do some research about the female body, you don’t want to end up drawing things like this…

Rob Liefeld is the name of disasters

When in doubt, look at the old masters

No inspiration? don’t worry, the internet is full of great illustrations! especially vintage pin-ups, personally, they are my favorite since they are great for copying styles, poses and aesthetics.

Andrew Loomis

Not only drawings, but photos as well.

Bettie Page!

Someday I will do a full tutorial explaining how I draw my girls, but for now, I hope this humble guide will give you some ideas, dear reader.